Going on a cruise, or cruising as the pros call it, is one of my favorite ways to travel as a family. This past week Gavs and I took Aria (4) and Bella (1.5) on a cruise to Bermuda on Royal Carribean’s Anthem of the Seas. I didn’t board the boat with any specific expectations but I felt like Anthem of the Sea’s really blew me away with all the beautiful features touches. Visiting Bermuda for the first time was such an amazing experience and I would definitely take the opportunity to revisit if I could!
The Cruise Ship:
Anthem of the Seas is the chicest ship I’ve had the chance to sail on (say that 10 times fast.) It had a lot of modern features beautiful chaise lounges along the promenade, an entertainment show that featured 6 robotically controlled screens, and a bionic robot that could make you a mixed drink! When I think of a cruise ship – I definitely don’t associate it with modern decor (or maybe I’ve been on only older ships lol) so it was refreshing to sail on something that didn’t feel suffocating or like old style Vegas. Some of my personal highlights of the ship was trying the iFly (a simulated skydiving feature,) getting a scenic bird’s eye view of the ship via the North Star, and had an amazing meal at the Wonderland restaurant which had creative food options like tomato water with foam served in a test tube. If you bring your children, the ship has a camp called Adventure Ocean (ages 6 months – 14 yo divided into appropriate age groups) and Aria loved it and always looked forward to going. A previous ship we’ve been on (Allure of the Seas – a bigger ship) had a science lab where they made goop and did other cute scientific activities – but you can’t win em’ all. Once the kids are tucked away, I took advantage of the adults only pool area that is much calmer and more peaceful called the Solarium that was so beautiful – def going to miss that.
Bermuda:
Holy moly! This place was jaw-droppingly beautiful! I loved visiting the island and only wish I had more time to explore. The locals have a charming British accent and were more than willing to share a few tidbits about the island on our rides to the beach. Here are a few things I learned along our ride:
1. Water is very limited so the rainwater is collected from the roofs which are treated with lime which purifies it.
2. The speed limit is only 25 mph because of the extremely narrow roads and if you get caught speeding more than once the ticket is $500!
3. Homes are passed down from generation to generation and more affluent families will rent out a portion of their home to have more income.
We went to the popular Horseshoe Bay Beach. The sand was pink, the water the bluest blue, and the beach was somewhat enclosed by had large rocks protecting from the beach cove from harsh winds. The ship docked for 2 days in Bermuda, so one of the days we left the kids at camp and I was more than happy to indulge in a Rum Swizzle, a local cocktail, gotta be careful with those – they are STRONG!
Overall Takeaway:
I feel so fortunate to travel as much as we do. This year has definitely been the year of travel. New York, Miami, Tahiti, Moorea, San Francisco, Denver, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, now Bermuda, and coming up soon Los Angeles! However, as much as I love to travel, I love coming back home to our cozy house in Pittsburgh, especially after traveling with my two little princesses. My girls are strong-willed, vocal, and could eat me under the table. Let’s just say I am looking forward to being back in our regular routine of school and family time on the weekends lol.
moussiaexplores 